Fort Worth education advocates weigh in on Texas bill to eliminate STAAR test
The Texas House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed legislation that would do away with the STAAR, the state’s end-of-year standardized test, and replace it with shorter exams for students throughout the school year. The bill would also tweak the state’s A-F accountability system, which recently landed the Fort Worth Independent School District in hot water.
If approved by the Senate and signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott, House Bill 4 would no longer require school districts to administer the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR exam, starting in the 2025-26 school year. The exam measures student performance at the end of the school year on core subjects, such as reading and math, and is meant to determine whether a student is ready for the next grade level.
The STAAR has prompted controversy within Texas’ education system, as opponents have argued that the test scores stemming from the exam have become high-stakes data points shouldered by districts that do not adequately measure student performance. Most lawmakers in the House applauded the legislation, but teacher and parent advocates in Fort Worth ISD were split on their support for the move.
The bill calls for the adoption of “nationally norm-referenced tests” that students would take at the beginning, middle and end of the school year. Students in grades 3-8 would still be required to be assessed in reading and math, while students in grades 5-8 would still be tested in science. A social studies testing requirement for eighth-graders would be removed. Test scores would be available within a day of the test being administered with recommendations given to teachers and parents on how to help each student grow in their academics. The test would still be aligned with state curriculum standards.
Rep. Brad Buckley, a Republican from Salado who authored the bill, said HB 4 is about “smart accountability” rather than “less accountability.”
“In an effort to continue the state goal (of) being in the top five nationwide, we mentioned that these are norm-referenced tests. This will allow comparisons with students statewide and nationally to help us meet and exceed our stated goals relating to accountability,” Buckley said.
HB 4 passed the House in a final vote on Tuesday, May 13, with only one vote in opposition from Rep. Brian Harrison, a Republican from Waxahachie. Harrison was also the only lone dissenter on the bill in a preliminary vote that took place a day prior. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, he said he supported getting rid of STAAR but was concerned about the price tag behind the effort.
“I support getting rid of the STAAR test, but oppose forcing Texans, who are already being taxed out of their homes, to be taxed another $200 million to do it,” Harrison said. “I’m also concerned HB4 may unintentionally water down accountability standards in our public schools at (a) time when only 25% of Texas 8th graders are proficient in math and reading.”
Rep. Charlie Geren, a Republican from Fort Worth, introduced an amendment to the bill that requires parents to have access to their child’s test results with “no more than one click.” He referenced an issue that’s been called to attention through the Go Beyond Grades campaign in the Fort Worth area and nationally, where a mismatch between a child’s report card grades and their standardized test grades goes unnoticed by a parent.
“What we’ve got is a problem in Fort Worth where a kid will come home with a C or B on his report card and can’t read or can’t do math. In other words, they’re moving him along, and he’s not doing worth a darn,” Geren said. “This amendment just says you’ll be able to access your own children’s — nobody else’s — (with) one click on the TEA website.”
Proposed changes to A-F accountability ratings
The bill also calls for changes to the state’s A-F accountability system, which analyzes performance of districts and campuses by looking at three categories: student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps. STAAR test results weigh heavily on all three domains. House Bill 4 would broaden a military readiness component within the student achievement category to include graduates who successfully complete a JROTC program or pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test. It also decreases the weight of the closing the gaps category on state accountability ratings from 30% to 5%.
Rep. Buckley, the primary bill author, told representatives there would be a variety of local accountability indicators connected to grades 3-8 and that the bill would also lay out a more efficient system for districts to challenge their accountability scores.
“We incorporate local accountability indicators that are focused on workforce development, early childhood readiness opportunities, students engaged in extra- and co-curricular activities, advanced opportunities for high-achieving students and quality teacher development,” Buckley said. “Finally, this bill provides for an expedited legal process, should legal actions take place in the future. This will assure that disagreements are settled in a timely manner, and communities, parents and students have timely access to important accountability performance ratings.”
Steven Poole, executive director of the United Educators Association, applauded the legislation and said school communities consist of more than “a one-time, high-stakes test.”
“The shorter, more frequent assessments will give teachers real-time feedback on their students’ progress, leading to targeted interventions. Great things are happening in our schools that are not currently reflected in the state’s A-F ratings. By adding more criteria like extra-curricular participation, a school’s rating will give parents and the public greater insight into the school,” Poole said.
In contrast, the leader of education advocacy group Parent Shield Fort Worth criticized HB 4, stating the elimination of STAAR would dismantle an important accountability tool that allows parents and families to see how their neighborhood schools and school district are performing.
“Parents are not willing to sacrifice accountability for a $200 Million Gamble. We deserve to know how our children and schools are performing. Yet, some are pushing to eliminate the STAAR test, the very tool that provides this crucial transparency. For a staggering $200 million — funds desperately needed to directly support our students and educators,” said Parent Shield director Trenace Dorsey-Hollins. “Let me be clear, discarding STAAR isn’t just about a test; it’s about obscuring the truth and silencing the voice of parents demanding accountability from our schools. Is this really a price Texas is willing to pay?”
Robert Rogers, president of the nonprofit Reading League of Texas and chairman of the Fort Worth Students First political action committee, also shared concerns about losing a tool that informs community members about how districts and campuses are performing over time.
“I’m concerned about the loss of the ability to assess the effectiveness of our schools in providing students with the education they deserve. The STAAR is the ‘final exam’ for our schools and systems, not for the students. We benefit from having an ability to assess with an ‘apples to apples’ measurement over time, and the STAAR test provides this yardstick. This test allows us, the community, to understand how well we are fulfilling our responsibility to our children,” Rogers said.
Fort Worth ISD faces potential TEA takeover
TEA’s 2023 and 2024 A-F scores have been tied up in legal proceedings for the past two years. The 2023 scores were just released by TEA last month, revealing a failed grade for Forest Oak Sixth Grade campus in Fort Worth ISD for the fifth year in a row. This puts the district at risk for a state takeover even though the campus closed last year and was consolidated into Forest Oak Middle School. Texas Education Commission Mike Morath warned district officials last week that the agency would make a decision on whether to intervene after the scores were finalized in August. The district has said it plans to appeal the 2023 rating.
It remains to be seen how the replacement of STAAR and changes to the A-F accountability system would impact state interventions or takeovers, if HB 4 were to become law.
Fort Worth ISD officials said in a statement the district has been administering norm-referenced assessments three times a year since 2017 to monitor student growth. This includes the MAP, or Measures of Academic Progress, test.
“The approach outlined in HB 4 aligns with our established practice of using ongoing assessments to monitor student growth and inform instruction throughout the year. This type of data empowers educators to personalize instruction, identify learning gaps early, and make informed decisions at all levels to ensure targeted support and improved outcomes for all students. Furthermore, the data supports strategic decision-making at the school and district levels, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively to promote equity and academic achievement for all learners,” officials said.
This story was originally published May 14, 2025 at 10:27 AM.
